Traditionally Black Cockatoos are the best sign of wet weather ahead; the more in a flock, the more rain coming over the next few days.

photo by and courtesy of Paul Wheeler

Yellow Tailed Cockatoo Tree Sculpture

Shaping Sustainable Forest Management For Decades To Come

February 21st, 2018: Media Release - NSW Dept. of Primary Industries

Climate change, industry certainty, and regulatory compliance are just a handful of the many topics discussed during the NSW Regional Forest Agreement (RFA) in-person consultation sessions over the past fortnight.

The 20-year agreements between the NSW and Australian Governments are currently undergoing a review and renewal process, which includes an opportunity to update and improve the content to capture emerging issues.

NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Group Director, Forestry, Nick Milham, said stakeholder feedback is imperative at this stage and views will help shape the renewed agreements.

“The consultation is a genuine chance to influence what form the NSW RFAs take for the sustainable management of our native forests for decades to come,” he said.

Mr Milham said the two governments have conducted in-person stakeholder meetings and public drop in sessions in Lismore, Coffs Harbour, Bulahdelah, Eden, Batemans Bay, Tumut and Sydney throughout February.

“In the sessions, we have heard from many environmental groups, industry members, local governments, the community and recreational forest users – providing a great insight into the key priorities and opinions of each group,” he said.

“Feedback, questions, criticisms and endorsements have been welcomed throughout the sessions and it has been great to hear the community’s views first-hand.

“The NSW Government has the difficult role of balancing the economic, social and environmental demands on forests, but there is sound logic, underpinned by peer-reviewed, internationally published science, to renew RFAs.

“The only decisions that have been made so far are that the RFAs will be renewed and that their objectives and geographical regions will remain unchanged – the rest is on the table.”

RFAs are an overarching framework for the long-term sustainable management of the NSW Forest Estate, and for the needs of industry and users. They reflect international and national commitments for the sustainable management of forests.

“RFAs seek to achieve a balance between ecological, social and economic forest values and require a series of more detailed frameworks to be put in place to achieve this balance,” Mr Milham said.

“These include a Comprehensive, Adequate and Representative reserve system, a detailed regulatory framework covering the entire public and private forest estate, and industry certainty for timber supply and regulatory requirements.

“Integrated Forestry Operations Approvals, Forestry Codes of Practice and regulations and timber supply arrangements all sit underneath the overarching RFA framework and are the subject of separate review processes.”

Feedback captured at consultation sessions has been documented, and alongside the online submissions, will help shape the renewed agreements over the coming months.

“It’s not too late for stakeholders to have their say online, and we encourage those stakeholders yet to make a submission to strongly consider doing so,” Mr Milham said.

Submissions towards the renewal of the NSW Regional Forest Agreements can be made online at www.dpi.nsw.gov.au, via email and via mail before 5pm on 12 March 2018.

Regional Forest Agreements (RFA)

Have Your Say: NSW Government

The NSW and Commonwealth Governments are seeking feedback on five-yearly implementation reviews of RFAs and how to extend them for an additional 20-year term.

Consultation will enable a full appraisal of the current RFAs covering the Eden, North East and Southern regions of NSW. It will also drive optimal implementation of new agreements, including what we can learn from our experience over the past 20 years.

The government is committed to working closely with all parties in getting the balance right in the long-term management of their forest resources.

A number of community meetings are planned across the state. Details will be available shortly.

More Information

Email: Project Leader

Phone: 02 9934 0728

February 16, 2018: NSW Nature Conservation Council

The Berejiklian government is putting threatened forest wildlife and an historic 20-year peace deal at risk by pushing ahead with a sham consultation process designed to lock in unsustainable logging indefinitely.

The NSW Nature Conservation Council and NSW National Parks Association today walked away from stakeholder consultations on the extension of the state’s three Regional Forest Agreements.

Regional Forest Agreements were struck in the late 1990s and early 2000s and delivered a fragile peace in the Forests Wars that had raged for decades through the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

Nature Conservation Council CEO Kate Smolski said: “We will not be party to a process that perpetuates the reckless mismanagement our precious forests.

“Koala populations in NSW forests have plummeted over the past 20 years during which these agreements have been in place.

“We insist the government conduct independent scientific reviews that will give us a clear understanding of what harm forestry has done to our threatened wildlife over the past two decades before we decide how our forests will be managed for another generation.”

National Parks Association CEO Alix Goodwin said: “Far from achieving ecologically sustainable forest management, the RFAs have permitted the extensive destruction of public forests because logging under the Agreements is not subject to scrutiny by Commonwealth law.

“As a result, many of our forests are in a worse condition now than when the agreements were struck two decades ago. Carbon stores are decreasing, and populations of forest species are in freefall.

“We have decided to not participate in the current round of stakeholder consultations because the NSW Government has not agreed to a fair, scientifically credible assessment and negotiation process.”

Specifically, the government has refused to:

Consider whether the RFAs are a suitable model for forest management.

Complete the RFA 10- and 15-year reviews before beginning negotiations on the RFA renewal.

Complete a socioeconomic assessment of all land-use options that considers, among other things, climate change impacts and the potential use of forests for carbon capture and storage.

Establish a fair process for RFA renewal negotiations, with balanced representation and moderation by a credible, independent third party.

Guarantee there would be no pre-emptive decisions (i.e., no new Wood Supply Contracts) before the end of the process.

Report Exposes Deep Divisions In Government Over Environmental Policy

Reports in today’s The Australian confirm deep internal divisions in NSW Government over environmental policy, including land-clearing laws that are the subject of legal action by the Nature Conservation Council. (Full text of the article is attached.)

“The explosive article in The Australian shows the National Party is dictating environment policy to the whole of NSW and that there are deep divisions within the Berejiklian government on these issues,” Nature Conservation Council CEO Kate Smolski said.

“The article suggests Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton was not given time to properly assess the environment impact of new land clearing laws before she signed off them.

“Premier Berejiklian should step in to defend the Environment Minister and pull these rogue Nationals into line to prevent the plundering of our forests, woodlands and water supplies.

“The Nationals have shown they can’t be trusted to manage land clearing and water resources, and they are continuing to push to open our beloved national parks to logging.

“The environment of NSW belongs to us all – it is not the plaything of the National Party to do with what they will.”

The Nature Conservation Council is taking legal action to overturn the government’s land-clearing codes, because the codes were made before the Environment Minister had given her concurrence (as required by law) and because the government did not properly consider the principles of ecological sustainability when it made the codes.

The court case is scheduled to be heard in April.

The Nature Conservation Council is calling on the government to revise the codes to make many important changes, including making the following places off limits to tree clearing:

NSW Government divided on reclassifying River Red Gum national parks as state forest - The Daily Advertiser, November 2017 (Murray by-election)

Stop The Senseless Destruction Of Our Wildlife: Nature Conservation Council (NSW) Taking State Government To Court

By Nature Conservation Council (NSW)

Thousands of possums, quolls, koalas and gliders will be killed each year now that the Coalition government has gutted our tree-clearing laws. Nationals MPs, big agri-business and developers are being given powers to trash our precious woodlands under the new Biodiveristy Conservation Act. This new act will:

add extinction pressures to our state's 1000 threatened species;

threaten our clean, reliable water supplies;

turn our fertile land into wasteland through erosion and salinity;

put landmark trees and bushland at risk; and

add further to Australia's carbon pollution.

Biodiversity offsets law will drive extinctions

The use of biodiversity offsetting schemes in NSW is adding extinction pressure to the very species those schemes are supposed to protect, anew report has found.

In theory, offsetting is supposed to ensure there is no loss in biodiversity values. In practice, offsetting is pushing species to the brink. Read our analysis of offsetting schemes in NSW over the past 10 years.

We are taking the Berejiklian government to court to scrap its destructive land-clearing laws, to defend nature and the rule of law.

More information on the case

Our case seeks to overturn the worst elements of the land-clearing laws on two grounds:

Failure to adequately consider the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development

The Primary Industries Minister and the Environment Minister had a legal duty to consider the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development when making the land-clearing codes. That includes proper consideration of internationally recognised legal principles such as intergenerational equity, the precautionary principle, and conservation of biodiversity. Documents obtained under freedom of information laws suggests the Ministers failed to do so.

2. Failure of the Primary Industries Minister to obtain concurrence of the Environment Minister

The Primary Industries Minister Niall Blair had a legal duty to obtain the “concurrence” (more simply the agreement) of the Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton before “making” the codes. Documents obtained under freedom of information laws suggest that Ms Upton approved the codes on August 25, one day after Mr Blair had made them on August 24.

If our legal challenge is successful, the government should scrap these bad laws, go back to the drawing board and make new codes that actually protect our threatened species.

We are being represented by public interest environmental lawyers EDO NSW. The case was referred to the Land and Environment Court on Friday, November 24, and we are awaiting a hearing date. Check back to this page for updates as they occur.

End time: 12:00 PM

Site Coordinator Details

Rick Shires

Return And Earn - Short Term Issues Will Be Overcome

Hyper-criticism by some media outlets of short term issues being experienced by the NSW container deposit system, Return and Earn, is inflated nonsense, environment groups said today.

“Every such scheme in the world has a ramp up period and it takes time for financially viable infrastructure to be put in place and for the community to adapt. To think that the current issues will be permanent features is ridiculous. Clearly the hyper critical commentators aren’t interested in a proven program being given time to sort out our serious recycling and litter problems,” said Jeff Angel, Director of TEC and Boomerang.

“New collection points are being opened every week and it’s very gratifying that the community wants more. As for the alleged consumer rip-off, the arrangements are no different to what occurs in South Australia - returns are projected; advance payment made by bottlers; and in the next quarter adjustments are made according to actual returns. Many bottlers then reduce their prices if there was overpayment. As the system settles in projections become more accurate. The initial agreed prices are to be reviewed after February.”

“From our research, the 67% return rate for the first few months is close to what we predicted. It will gradually ramp up to about 80%.”

“Return and Earn is a big, new program and NSW is the first state in Australia to bring in the modern, automated system that is necessary for our big cities and towns. The government, community and Tomra/Cleanaway are to be congratulated for their commitment and support,” Mr Angel said.

The Australian Government's Plan For The Biocontrol Of The Common Carp Presents Several Risks

February 22nd, 2018: University of Liege

Belgian, English and Australian scientists are calling on the Australian authorities to review their decision to introduce the carp herpes virus as a way to combat the common carp having colonised the country's rivers. In a letter published in the journal Science, they not only believe that this measure will be ineffective but that it also represents a risk to ecosystems.

On a global scale, the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) is one of the most important fish species in fish farming. Its annual production ranges between 4 and 5 million tonnes. Initially introduced to Australia for production in fish farms, the species has gradually colonised the rivers to the point of dominating the indigenous species. One of the methods proposed by the Australian government to reduce the number of carp is to release a virus which is deadly to this species, the cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV-3, also called the Koi herpesvirus or KHV) in rivers. However, scientists note that data currently available on the carp's biology, the pathogeny of the virus and the ecology of Australian rivers suggests that this tactic will not be effective and could even represent a risk to ecosystems. It is thanks to Professor Alain Vanderplasschen from the University of Liège (Belgium) that the prestigious scientific review Science asked to issue a scientific opinion on the Australian biocontrol plan (1).

Before the large-scale release of the CyHV-3, which will be costly (the plan proposed has a budget of 18 million dollars) and irreversible, assessments must be carried out on the virus' actual capacity to sustainably reduce Australian carp populations living freely without harming the indigenous ecosystems.

The authors advocate for the introduction of limited testing to safely assess if the virus can effectively control carp populations without harming ecosystems.

The opinion of the scientists is notably based on work carried out for over a decade by Professor Alain Vanderplasschen from the Immunology and Vaccination Laboratory at the University of Liège who is behind the development of the first vaccine against CyHV-3.

"The discovery in our laboratory of the beneficial role of the behavioural fever expressed by carp as well as other recent results indicate that the Australian government's biocontrol plan will not meet its objectives. This may even cause serious damage to the ecosystems", explains Professor Alain Vanderplasschen.

"By discussing this in Science, one of the world's most respected scientific journals, we hope that the warning will not be ignored by the Australian authorities", notes Professor Alain Vanderplasschen.

High Levels Of Microplastics Found In Northwest Atlantic Fish

February 16, 2018

A new study sheds light on the magnitude of microplastic pollution in our oceans. The study, published today in open-access journal Frontiers in Marine Science, found microplastics in the stomachs of nearly three out of every four mesopelagic fish caught in the Northwest Atlantic -- one of the highest levels globally. These findings are worrying, as the affected fish could spread microplastics throughout the ocean. The fish are also prey for fish eaten by humans, meaning that microplastics could indirectly contaminate our food supply through the transfer of associated microplastic toxins.

"Microplastic pollution has been in the news recently, with several governments planning a ban on microbeads used in cosmetics and detergents" says Alina Wieczorek from the National University of Ireland, Galway and lead author of the study. "The high ingestion rate of microplastics by mesopelagic fish that we observed has important consequences for the health of marine ecosystems and biogeochemical cycling in general."

Microplastics are small plastic fragments that have accumulated in the marine environment following decades of pollution. These fragments can cause significant issues for marine organisms that ingest them, including inflammation, reduced feeding and weight-loss. Microplastic contamination may also spread from organism to organism when prey is eaten by predators. Since the fragments can bind to chemical pollutants, these associated toxins could accumulate in predator species.

Mesopelagic fish serve as a food source for a large variety of marine animals, including tuna, swordfish, dolphins, seals and sea birds. Typically living at depths of 200-1,000 meters, these fish swim to the surface at night to feed then return to deeper waters during the day. Through these vertical movements, mesopelagic fish play a key role in the cycling of carbon and nutrients from the surface to the deep sea -- a process known as biogeochemical cycling. This means they could spread microplastic pollution throughout the marine ecosystem, by carrying microplastics from the surface down to deeper waters, affecting deep-sea organisms.

Despite their important role in marine ecosystems, mesopelagic fish have been relatively understudied in the context of microplastics. To investigate this further, Wieczorek and colleagues set out to catch fish in a remote area of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean: an eddy (whirlpool) off the coast of Newfoundland.

"These fish inhabit a remote area, so theoretically they should be pretty isolated from human influences, such as microplastics. However, as they regularly migrate to the surface, we thought that they may ingest microplastics there," explains Wieczorek.

The researchers caught mesopelagic fish at varying depths, then examined their stomachs for microplastics back in the lab. They used a specialized air filter so as not to introduce airborne plastic fibers from the lab environment.

The team found a wide array of microplastics in the fish stomachs -- with a whopping 73% of the fish having ingested the pollutants. "We recorded one of the highest frequencies of microplastics among fish species globally," says Wieczorek. "In particular, we found high levels of plastic fibers such as those used in textiles."

As the researchers were extremely careful to exclude contamination with fibers from the air, they are confident that the fish had ingested the fibers in the sea. Finding high levels of fibers in the fish is significant, as some studies investigating microplastics in fish have dismissed such fibers as contaminants from the lab environment, meaning their role as a pollutant may have been underestimated.

The researchers plan further studies to learn more about how these fish are ingesting and spreading microplastics. "It will be particularly interesting to see whether the fish ingest these microplastics directly as mistaken prey items, or whether they ingest them through eating prey species, which have previously ingested the microplastics," says Wieczorek.

February 20, 2018

Ants care for their sick nest mates in different ways, depending on their own immune status. When they themselves are susceptible to dangerous superinfections, they use a different method to care for sick colony members compared to ants that are not susceptible, thus protecting themselves from infection. This is the result of a study of Professor Sylvia Cremer's research group at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), with first authors Matthias Konrad and Christopher Pull. The study was published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

In their colonies, ants such as the invasive garden ant Lasius neglectus live in a very confined space. This carries the risk that diseases can spread rapidly and threaten the entire colony. Sylvia Cremer and her group have already shown in previous studies that ants of the species Lasius neglectus fend off the pathogenic fungus Metarhizium by intensively cleaning and caring for colony members whose bodies have been contaminated by fungal spores. In the current study, Sylvia Cremer and her group addressed the question of how the caring ants protect themselves from infection.

Care means protection and risk

There are two ways for ants to care for nest mates: either by grooming off pathogens or by chemically disinfecting them. However, the extensive contact between contaminated and caring ants during care may lead to a transmission of the pathogen, which often induces low-level infections in the caring individual that do not cause disease. As the research team has shown in a previous study, such low-level infections of the caring ants stimulate their immune system and can lead to a protective effect against future infection, similar to the early form of vaccination used by humans, termed variolation. If this ant comes in contact with the same pathogen again in the future, its defense against the fungal pathogen is already upregulated, and the course of the disease is mild. However, in the current study the research team showed that this immunization caused by low-level infections, unlike modern vaccinations in humans, has a cost. If the ant comes in contact with a second, different pathogen, it is not only unprotected, but is even more susceptible to the second pathogen, which can subsequently cause a highly detrimental, superinfection.

Flexible care protects against superinfection

Although ants with low-level infections are more susceptible to superinfections, the researchers show that this altered disease susceptibility affects how ants care for their infectious nest mates. They continue to perform care, but alter how they do so to decrease their risk of contracting a second infection. This risk avoidance is flexible and depends on the current immune status of the ant. If an ant is protected against a pathogen because it is currently immunized, it grooms the infected nestmate more than non-immunized ants. "This close contact means that the caring ant is exposed to a large number of fungal spores from the infectious nest mates, but it is less susceptible to them because of previous immune stimulation," explains Sylvia Cremer.

The situation is different when the ant encounters a nest mate carrying a pathogen that the caring ant is susceptible to. If the ant has developed a susceptibility to pathogen B due to a previous infection with pathogen A, then it sprays the contaminated nestmate carrying pathogen B with formic acid to neutralize the pathogen. This avoids the need for grooming and the close contact that comes with it, preventing pathogen transmission and protecting the caring ant from superinfection. "This risk-averse care improves and maintains the health of the caring animals and thus of the whole colony. In humans, nursing staff and doctors also pay attention to their immune status, for example by vaccinating before entering a dangerous zone. Importantly, ants are capable of this adjustment without the need for vaccination records that humans typically rely on" explains Sylvia Cremer.

Matthias Konrad and Christopher Pull are the first authors of the study. Matthias Konrad was a PhD student supervised by Sylvia Cremer from 2009 to 2014, and joined IST Austria in 2010 as one of the first PhD students, and stayed for one year after his PhD as a postdoc in the Cremer group. Christopher Pull was a PhD student in the group of Sylvia Cremer at IST Austria from 2012 to 2017, and is now a postdoc at the Royal Holloway University, London. Sylvia Cremer studies the social immune system in ants with the aim of finding out more about epidemiology and disease dynamics in societies.

Life's A Beach For New International Students

February 22, 2018: From Surf Life Saving NSW

Over 7000 international students gearing up for their first year of study are set to be given a crash course in beach culture as surf lifesavers take messages of water safety directly to them in an effort to ensure their safety as they enjoy a break from the books on some of NSW’S most magnificent beaches.

Before the rigours of the academic year begin afresh new students have the opportunity to engage with the traditional orientation or “O Week”, during which many international students will have the chance to meet surf lifesavers and ask any questions they have on how to stay safe.

It’s a particularly poignant project given that in recent summers there have been several high profile drownings of international visitors including a tragic double drowning of two young Nepalese students at Maroubra in February last year.

Between now and the end of March, Surf Life Saving NSW will deliver 24 presentations at 18 unique locations in the following academic institutions;

University of NSW

University of Technology Sydney

Sydney University

Notre Dame University

Western Sydney University

University of Wollongong

Southern Cross University (Hotel School)

Macquarie University

ELICOS College

TafeNSW

The program follows on from the successful “O Week Workshops” from 2017 and pleasingly has enjoyed rapid growth.

Surf Life Saving NSW Community Education Manager Joanne Massey said the presentations reinforce the lifesaving community’s commitment to educate the population and ensure that everyone regardless of their cultural background can experience the best the beach has to offer.

“On the NSW coast it is not uncommon for children to be introduced to the beach and ocean very early in life. They learn about rip currents, what surf lifesavers do, and the importance of swimming between the flags from a very young age as well as having the opportunity to participate in the well-established and respected Nippers program.

“It’s important to understand that many international students do not have this knowledge and we feel we have a responsibility to help provide them this information that is most likely very different to anything they have previously experienced,” Ms Massey said.

“We give them the best information possible to ensure that if they get into difficulty while taking a well-earned break from their studies they know what to do. They can then make safe surf practices and decisions as part of their beach routine, and share their new knowledge with their peers.

“Our beaches are for everyone,” she concluded.

Beach Safety Tips

Always swim between the red and yellow patrol flags, for your nearest patrolled beach check the BeachSafe app or website

Read the safety signs for information about the beach and ask a lifesaver or lifeguard for safety information

Always swim with someone else so you can look out for each other, and always supervise children around the water

Never swim under the influence of alcohol or drugs

If you need help in the water, stay calm and attract attention by raising one arm

In an emergency, dial Triple Zero Police

Don’t forget to be sun safe by remembering to: Slip on some protective clothing, Slop on some sunscreen, Slap on a hat, Slide on a pair of sunglasses, Seek some shade and Sip on lots of water to stay hydrated.

For information about patrol times, weather, and beach locations visit the Beachsafe Website or Download the App.

Surprising New Study Redraws Family Tree Of Domesticated And 'Wild' Horses

February 22nd, 2018

There are no such things as "wild" horses anymore.

Research published in Science today overturns a long-held assumption that Przewalski's horses, native to the Eurasian steppes, are the last wild horse species on Earth. Instead, phylogenetic analysis shows Przewalski's horses are feral, descended from the earliest-known instance of horse domestication by the Botai people of northern Kazakhstan some 5,500 years ago.

Further, the new paper finds that modern domesticated horses didn't descend from the Botai horses, an assumption previously held by many scientists.

"This was a big surprise," said co-author Sandra Olsen, curator-in-charge of the archaeology division of the Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum at the University of Kansas, who led archaeological work at known Botai villages. "I was confident soon after we started excavating Botai sites in 1993 that we had found the earliest domesticated horses. We went about trying to prove it, but based on DNA results Botai horses didn't give rise to today's modern domesticated horses -- they gave rise to the Przewalski's horse."

The findings signify there are no longer true "wild" horses left, only feral horses that descend from horses once domesticated by humans, including Przewalski's horses and mustangs that descend from horses brought to North America by the Spanish.

"This means there are no living wild horses on Earth -- that's the sad part," said Olsen. "There are a lot of equine biologists who have been studying Przewalskis, and this will be a big shock to them. They thought they were studying the last wild horses. It's not a real loss of biodiversity -- but in our minds, it is. We thought there was one last wild species, and we're only just now aware that all wild horses went extinct."

Many of the horse bones and teeth Olsen excavated at two Botai sites in Kazakhstan, called Botai and Krasnyi Yar, were used in the phylogenetic analysis. The international team of researchers behind the paper sequenced the genomes of 20 horses from the Botai and 22 horses from across Eurasia that spanned the last 5,500 years. They compared these ancient horse genomes with already published genomes of 18 ancient and 28 modern horses.

"Phylogenetic reconstruction confirmed that domestic horses do not form a single monophyletic group as expected if descending from Botai," the authors wrote. "Earliest herded horses were the ancestors of feral Przewalski's horses but not of modern domesticates."

Olsen said the findings give rise to a new scientific quest: locating the real origins of today's domesticated horses.

"What's interesting is that we have two different domestication events from slightly different species, or separate sub-species," she said. (The Przewalski's horse's taxonomic position is still debated.) "It's thought that modern-day domesticated horses came from Equus ferus, the extinct European wild horse. The problem is they were thought to have existed until the early 1900s. But, the remains of two individuals in St. Petersburg, Russia, are probably feral, too, or at least probably had some domesticated genes."

Olsen began excavating Botai village sites in Kazakhstan in 1993 after the fall of the Soviet Union made the region accessible to western scientists. Some of the horse remains collected by Olsen were tested as part of the new study showing their ancestry of modern-day Przewalskis.

The Botai's ancestors were nomadic hunters until they became the first-known culture to domesticate horses around 5,500 years ago, using horses for meat, milk, work and likely transportation.

"Once they domesticated horses they became sedentary, with large villages of up to 150 or more houses," said Olsen, who specializes in zooarchaeology, or the study of animal remains from ancient human occupation sites. "They lived primarily on horse meat, and they had no agriculture. We had several lines of evidence that supported domestication. The fact the Botai were sedentary must have meant they had domesticated animals, or plants, which they didn't have. More than 95 percent of the bones from the Botai sites were from horses -- they were in a sense mono-cropping one species with an incredible focus. If they were hunting horses on foot, they would have quickly depleted bands of horses in the vicinity of the villages and would have had to go farther afield to hunt -- it wouldn't have been feasible or supported that large human population."

The KU researcher also cited bone artifacts from Botai sites used to make rawhide thongs that might have been fashioned into bridles, lassos, whips, riding crops and hobbles, as further evidence of horse domestication. Moreover, the Botai village sites include horse corrals.

"We found a corral that contained high levels of nitrogen and sodium from manure and urine," said Olsen. "It was very concentrated within that corral. The final smoking gun was finding residues of mares' milk in the pottery. It's commonplace today in Mongolia and Kazakhstan to milk horses -- when it's fermented it has considerable nutritional value and is very high in vitamins."

Interestingly, Olsen found that after slaughtering horses, the Botai buried some horse skulls and necks in pits with their snouts facing the southeast, toward where the sun rose in the morning in autumn. Mongols and Kazakhs slaughter most of their horses at that time of year because that is when they retain the most amount of nutritious fat in their bodies.

"It's interesting because throughout the Indo-European diaspora there's a strong connection between the sun god and the horse," she said. "It may be that Botai people spoke an early proto-Indo-European language, and they also connected the horse to the sun god. Later in time, and this idea is in the historical record for the Indo-European diaspora, it was believed the sun god was born in the east and rode across the sky in a chariot, pulled by white horses. According to the belief, he would then die in the west and be reborn every day."

The team behind the paper believe Przewalski's horses likely escaped from domestic Botai herds in eastern Kazakhstan or western Mongolia.

This is a modern Przewalksi horse.Credit: Alan Outram

"They started developing a semi-wild lifestyle like our mustangs, but they still have a wild appearance," Olsen said. "This is partly why biologists assumed they were genuinely wild animals. They have an upright mane, something associated with wild equids. They also have a dun coat, like the ones you see in the Ice Age cave paintings in France and Spain made when horses were wild. Their size, however, is very similar to what you see at Botai and other sites."

By 1969, Przewalski's horses were declared extinct in the wild, and all living today originated from just 15 individuals captured around 1900. Today, there are approximately 2,000 Przewalski's horses, all descended from those captured horses, and they have been reintroduced on the Eurasian steppes. In a sense, the horses have fared better than the peoples who once domesticated them.

"The Botai people seem to have vanished from their homeland in northern Kazakhstan," said Olsen. "Perhaps they migrated eastward to Mongolia since the later Bronze Age people there shared the practice of ritually burying the horse's head and neck pointing toward the rising sun in the autumn, the time of year they were slaughtered. That's a very specific shared trait."

On a September day last year, Harris van Beek's doctor told him he had perhaps three days to live. Van Beek's response was to express sympathy for the doctor who had to break the news.

"His first instinct was always to think about things from someone else's point of view," says van Beek's son, Peter.

Van Beek, 65, had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer just six months earlier. In his final days, he spoke with his family about his wishes. Together, they decided in lieu of flowers to ask for donations towards pancreatic cancer research at the University of Sydney.

In the days before the funeral, those who knew and loved van Beek – and there were many – gave what they could. Fifty dollars here, five-hundred there.

"We were overwhelmed by the generosity of so many friends and colleagues," says Peter.

A few months on, the family has raised close to $100,000 through their crowdfunding webpage. It is the largest ever crowdfunded gift to the University and will help support researchers working to combat a cancer that is difficult to treat and kills almost 3000 Australians each year.

"The really shocking thing about pancreatic cancer is the lack of awareness," says Peter. "Survival rates haven't improved in nearly 40 years. More research is needed so that in the future dad's outcome would be the exception rather than the norm."

The gift to cancer research is only a small part of van Beek's legacy. He spent his life working to make the world a better place.

In 1973, van Beek was a 21-year-old public servant, with not enough to do and too much time in which to do it. When his supervisors paid no attention to his request for more work, he wrote a letter to The Sydney Morning Herald.

"I am writing to you as a state public servant, but more importantly as a taxpayer," he wrote. "As an officer in the department of local government I spend an estimated average of four and a half hours of every seven hours I attend my job doing nothing ... I consider that this example alone requires open investigation."

It was the end of his career with the department and the beginning of a lifelong mission to work for the greater good. He went on to become the first full-time employee of Amnesty NSW and, in 1982, became the human rights organisation's first national director.

During van Beek's 13 years of leadership, Amnesty expanded across the country. Its influence grew, too; by the mid-'90s, two thirds of federal parliamentarians were paying members. Under his direction, the organisation gathered crucial political support in Australia for the international movement to abolish the death penalty, and launched the first national campaign to draw attention to human rights violations in East Timor.

"The really shocking thing about pancreatic cancer is the lack of awareness." - Peter van Beek

After leaving Amnesty, he worked to improve the education system and life in Indigenous communities.

"He worried about the things that needed to be worried about," says Peter.

That was his attitude at home, too. Peter remembers a father who was open-minded about everything - "except for small-minded discussions with a starting point of discrimination".

Van Beek and his wife, Jane, raised three children, Anna, Peter and Tom, in a house full of newspapers and loud with discussion. "Mum and dad gave us access to information, but we were never forced to think about issues in a certain way" says Peter. "Mum and dad have always been deeply committed to social justice, so it was a natural thing for us to be interested too."

The van Beeks plan to continue their fundraising efforts. They are excited by the potential of research into immunotherapy, which harnesses the body's immune system to kill cancer cells.

"It's a cause we are absolutely committed to as a family and we want to dive a little deeper," says Peter. His father would no doubt have approved.

It may be all about humble beginnings, but Camel Milk has made a successful debut in the prestigious 2018 Sydney Royal Cheese and Dairy Produce competition.

The winners were announced at an awards presentation at the iconic ‘The Stables’ overnight at Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park.

A Gold Medal has been awarded to Summer Land Camels of Harrisville, Queensland for its Camel Milk entry.

A Silver medal has been awarded to Camel Milk NSW, based at Muswellbrook, for its Camel Milk entry, while Silver also has gone the way of Summer Land Camels Queensland for its Marinated Persian Feta.

Expert judges considered almost 100 classes of produce from milk through to cream, cheese, sorbet, gelato, yoghurt and ice cream.

Chair of Judges for the Sydney Royal Cheese and Dairy Competition Mark Livermore says the annual entries continue to impress.

“Our exhibitors are very passionate about their craft – after all it is their livelihoods and year on year we are seeing high quality and innovation in the cheese and dairy sectors,” Mark Livermore said.

“Who would have imagined years ago that the Sydney Royal judges would be called upon to adjudicate on the wide and increasing range of products from sheep, goat and buffalo milk and for the first time this year, camel milk?

“The white milk classes were again large in number and hotly contested.

“The judges were particularly impressed with the quality of milk submitted for judging. It is this high quality milk which enables the Australian dairy industry manufacturers to produce such outstanding products,” he said.

As always the Sydney Royal competitions produce some fantastic stories of smaller producers mixing it with the major market operators in their respective sectors and holding their own.

“These are exciting times in the Australian Cheese and Dairy produce scene and the imagination of producers big and small suggests the sky is the limit,” Mark Livermore added.

Champions from all Sydney Royal Wine, Dairy and Fine Food competitions across the calendar year are eligible for consideration for the ultimate accolade, the President’s Medal, unveiled at a gala awards night at each Sydney Royal Easter Show.

All the results of the 2018 Sydney Royal Cheese and Dairy Produce competition can be found here:

New Book Dives Into Sydney's Most Loved And Most Maligned River

A new book by Ian Tyrrell reveals the history of Sydney’s Cooks River and the role it has played in our dreams of prosperity and pleasure.

Samuel Elyard looked to classical times for his 1836 painting of Tempe House and the Cooks River. Photo: SLNSW

Squeezed between towering apartment blocks and a concrete-lined waterway, and within sight of Sydney’s CBD, you will find a mostly forgotten remnant of the city’s past.

Tempe House, on the southern banks of the Cooks River and in the suburb of the same name, is a rare Sydney example of Neo-Classical Georgian architecture. Designed in the 1830s as a country villa, it took its name from the imagined Vale of Tempe in ancient Greece, celebrated as a favourite haunt of Apollo and the Muses.

For historian Ian Tyrrell, it is one of the more substantial reminders along the Cooks River of the way European Australians have imprinted their dreams and aspirations onto the river and its banks.

“Tempe” points to the pastoral, classical aesthetic embraced by the early British colonisers that coloured the way they thought about the Australian landscape, Tyrrell explains in his new book about the complex history of the Cooks River, River Dreams (NewSouth).

The book examines our attempts to change and modify the river and the sometimes unintended consequences of those changes.

Today, the banks of the Cooks are popular with walkers, cyclists and picnickers. In the past, the river was used for everything from farming, stock-raising, tanning and sugar refining to soap- and brick-making. As early as 1814, parts of the lower river had become Sydney’s “backdoor”, a dumping ground for the colony’s smelly, polluting industries.

Emeritus Professor of History and former Scientia Professor of History at UNSW Sydney, and the author of numerous books and articles on Australian and US history, Tyrrell explains in River Dreams how the Cooks was a source of “perpetual disappointment” to the early colonisers because it failed to live up to Euro-Australian dreams. The river was never big enough, didn’t flow fast enough, and wasn’t lined with the “fine meadows” the explorer James Cook had reported seeing in 1770.

The river had been “lightly touched” by Aboriginal Australians for many thousands of years, and the Europeans who followed and tried to impose their will on it included convict-cum-entrepreneur Simeon Lord, who built a cloth-making mill along the river’s banks in 1814; the Scottish-born merchant and builder of Tempe House, Alexander Brodie Spark; and the early developer, financier and importer of rabbits, alpacas and other exotic species, Thomas Holt.

In more recent times, the Cooks was labelled one of Australia’s most polluted rivers.

For Tyrrell, the Cooks' mud, ooze and messy reeds “provide a metaphor for the river's tangled history and the long and difficult human struggle to make it a place of beauty or utility, or both”.

“The Cooks River is more than a mark upon a map; more than a space. It is a place invested with memories,” he writes.

“It has been given cultural, environmental and political significance by the people who tried to shape its history, yet necessarily learned that the river had its own history as an environment that has influenced human responses.”

The Brisbane-born Tyrrell has long had a fascination with rivers, but it was some years after he had moved to Sydney’s Inner West, when he and his wife began walking their dog along the banks of the Cooks, that he really took notice of it.

Over time, he gathered stories from friends and neighbours about the area – “little insights and historical titbits”.

One of the book’s recurring themes is the changing meaning of river “improvements”. To nineteenth century developers, “improvement” meant building factories along the river’s banks. In the 1940s, it meant rerouting the watercourse to make way for the expansion of Sydney Airport.

More recently, local councils and residents have tried to clean up the river by managing stormwater, returning the banks to a more natural state and bringing back native vegetation.

But Tyrrell argues we can’t restore things to the way they were originally; we can only renovate, “although people might not want to accept that”.

“When you renovate a house, you make alternations to it rather than bulldozing it down and building a new house from scratch,” he says.

“If you walk along the river today you can see how many changes have been made to it; you can see concrete, brickwork, sandstone and steel pilings, and now the naturalised sections of river banks. But none of the changes have obliterated the ones that came before,” he says.

The river is once again a place for local residents to relax and enjoy. Photo: J Bar.

And even though the recent “improvements” have been well received by many people, “we must not think changes to the river have finished”.

Ian Tyrrell will be in conversation with Ian Hoskins about River Dreams, published by NewSouth, at Gleebooks on 14 March, at 6pm for 6.30pm.

Dissent Rare In High Court Constitutional Cases Heard In 2017

February 23, 2018: UNSW Media

An examination of the first year of decisions by the Kiefel High Court suggests that the Chief Justice's preference for collaborative decision-making is largely being met in practice.

Australia’s High Court reached atypically high levels of agreement in constitutional matters in 2017 compared with previous years. This included challenges to the same sex marriage poll and the dual citizenship referrals from Parliament.

This is made clear by the latest survey in a series of annual studies of decision-making on the High Court prepared by Professor Andrew Lynch of the UNSW Law School.

Of the 11 constitutional cases determined by the Court last year, five matters were decided unanimously and four by concurring opinions. Just two featured a dissenting opinion, the analysis found. This can be contrasted with the much more typical delivery of only one or no unanimous constitutional judgment in preceding years since the turn of the century.

Chief Justice Susan Kiefel, in her first year as leader of the Court, did not deliver a dissent in any case. While Justices Virginia Bell and Patrick Keane delivered just one dissent, three other members of the Court disagreed and were in a minority in over 10& of cases on which they sat.

But dissent was unusually rare in constitutional cases, with Justice Gordon delivering just one, and the newest Justice, James Edelman, disagreeing with a majority of the Court in two such cases.

“It is possible that these results reflect the leadership of the new Chief Justice,” said Professor Lynch. “Chief Justice Kiefel has regularly championed a more collaborative, consensus-based style of judicial method on the multi-member courts.”

The report, which is being presented on Friday at the Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law’s annual Constitutional Law Conference, looks at the way judges of the High Court have decided the cases over the year, with an emphasis on constitutional matters. Both the totality of the Court’s decisions and the subset of constitutional cases are examined.

Of the 51 matters dealt with by the High Court in 2017, 21.6% were constitutional in character, up from 14.3% in 2016. The list of constitutional provisions and issues considered was unusually long, in part because of a case that determined that Holly Hughes was ineligible to replace Fiona Nash in the Australian Senate because Ms Hughes held an ‘office of profit under the Crown’ when the election was held.

Of all the matters that came before the Court, the way they were resolved was almost evenly split between unanimous judgements (35.3%), separate concurring opinions (33.3%) and majority over dissent (31.4%). The percentage of matters decided by concurrence was 10 percentage points lower than the previous year.

Self-Compassion May Protect People From The Harmful Effects Of Perfectionism

February 21, 2018

Relating to oneself in a healthy way can help weaken the association between perfectionism and depression, according to a study published February 21, 2018 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Madeleine Ferrari from Australian Catholic University, and colleagues.

Perfectionistic people often push themselves harder than others to succeed, but can also fall into the trap of being self-critical and overly concerned about making mistakes. When the perfectionist fails, they often experience depression and burnout. In this study, Ferrari and colleagues considered whether self-compassion, a kind way of relating to oneself, might help temper the link between perfectionist tendencies and depression.

The researchers administered anonymous questionnaires to assess perfectionism, depression, and self-compassion across 541 adolescents and 515 adults. Their analyses of these self-assessments revealed that self-compassion may help uncouple perfectionism and depression.

The replication of this finding in two groups of differently-aged people suggests that self-compassion may help moderate the link between perfectionism and depression across the lifespan. The authors suggest that self-compassion interventions could be a useful way to undermine the effects of perfectionism, but future experimental or intervention research is needed to fully assess this possibility.

"Self-compassion, the practice of self-kindness, consistently reduces the strength of the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and depression for both adolescents and adults," says lead author Madeleine Ferrari.

Brick Barrel Drain To Remain In Thompson Square

21 February 2018: RMS Media Release

After months of extensive investigation work as part the Windsor Bridge replacement project, Roads and Maritime Services is pleased to announce the brick barrel drain will stay in place in Thompson Square.

A spokesperson said this is excellent news for the Windsor community and particularly residents with an interest in the history of Thompson Square.

“Roads and Maritime engaged professional archaeologists to carefully excavate the north eastern section of Thompson Square to record and document any heritage artefacts found within the area,” the spokesperson said.

“During the excavation exercise, archaeological crews discovered a brick barrel drain dating back to 1814 in a hand-dug test pit.

“Heritage investigations continued and crews recently located the end of the brick barrel drain near the river.

“Although most of the brick drain has been found intact, the end was found to be eroded and partially washed away.”

The spokesperson said Roads and Maritime has developed a design to protect and preserve the brick drain in place, opting to design the project around the heritage find.

“The NSW Government has listened to the concerns of the community and will not be removing the brick barrel drain,” the spokesperson said.

“The new bridge will provide a safe and reliable crossing across the Hawkesbury River at Windsor and change the way the Hawkesbury community and visitors to the region travel through the historic town.

“Further archaeological studies are under way to record the finds and preserve the historical significance of the site.

“Work has also started on noise mitigation for five buildings facing Thompson Square which will minimise noise for buildings on the eastern side of the Square after the new bridge opens.”

Noise levels for the parklands will be reduced when the road currently dividing the square is moved east and the steep road from the river is removed.

The community and stakeholders will be kept informed as the project progresses.

To find out more about the Windsor Bridge replacement project and view the image gallery visit rms.nsw.gov.au/windsorbridge.

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CAWB Update: Save Windsor From The RTA

February 21, 2018

Unfortunately news has come through that one of CAWB’s three emergency National Heritage Listing applications has been denied by the Australian Heritage Council. Two applications are still pending.

It is difficult not to see this as a political decision. Last year century old trees on St Kilda Road were heritage listed, yet the place that is credited in saving our emerging nation isn’t afforded the same recognition?

However as we learned last week, the listing on those very trees is pretty much irrelevant, with many of them currently being felled. It seems no level of heritage protection can save a site that is earmarked for development.

We understand this will be a great disappointment to many of you, especially given the fact the Royal Australian Heritage Society had already assessed Thompson Square as meeting at least four of the criteria. It only has to meet one.

But we also have some good news.

Federal Heritage Minister Josh Frydenberg has personally written to Premier Berejiklian, asking her to reconsider the replacement bridge, Option 1.

To now have bipartisan Federal support to save the heritage of Thompson Square means the support for the new bridge continues to shrink. Even the Berejiklian/Perrottet government’s colleagues in Canberra can see the flaws in their bad plan.

We thank Susan Templeman MP who has worked tirelessly in fighting for emergency National Heritage Listing, and Minister Frydenberg for his advocacy for the protection of Thompson Square.

Life's A Beach For New International Students

February 22, 2018: From Surf Life Saving NSW

Over 7000 international students gearing up for their first year of study are set to be given a crash course in beach culture as surf lifesavers take messages of water safety directly to them in an effort to ensure their safety as they enjoy a break from the books on some of NSW’S most magnificent beaches.

Before the rigours of the academic year begin afresh new students have the opportunity to engage with the traditional orientation or “O Week”, during which many international students will have the chance to meet surf lifesavers and ask any questions they have on how to stay safe.

It’s a particularly poignant project given that in recent summers there have been several high profile drownings of international visitors including a tragic double drowning of two young Nepalese students at Maroubra in February last year.

Between now and the end of March, Surf Life Saving NSW will deliver 24 presentations at 18 unique locations in the following academic institutions;

University of NSW

University of Technology Sydney

Sydney University

Notre Dame University

Western Sydney University

University of Wollongong

Southern Cross University (Hotel School)

Macquarie University

ELICOS College

TafeNSW

The program follows on from the successful “O Week Workshops” from 2017 and pleasingly has enjoyed rapid growth.

Surf Life Saving NSW Community Education Manager Joanne Massey said the presentations reinforce the lifesaving community’s commitment to educate the population and ensure that everyone regardless of their cultural background can experience the best the beach has to offer.

“On the NSW coast it is not uncommon for children to be introduced to the beach and ocean very early in life. They learn about rip currents, what surf lifesavers do, and the importance of swimming between the flags from a very young age as well as having the opportunity to participate in the well-established and respected Nippers program.

“It’s important to understand that many international students do not have this knowledge and we feel we have a responsibility to help provide them this information that is most likely very different to anything they have previously experienced,” Ms Massey said.

“We give them the best information possible to ensure that if they get into difficulty while taking a well-earned break from their studies they know what to do. They can then make safe surf practices and decisions as part of their beach routine, and share their new knowledge with their peers.

“Our beaches are for everyone,” she concluded.

Beach Safety Tips

Always swim between the red and yellow patrol flags, for your nearest patrolled beach check the BeachSafe app or website

Read the safety signs for information about the beach and ask a lifesaver or lifeguard for safety information

Always swim with someone else so you can look out for each other, and always supervise children around the water

Never swim under the influence of alcohol or drugs

If you need help in the water, stay calm and attract attention by raising one arm

In an emergency, dial Triple Zero Police

Don’t forget to be sun safe by remembering to: Slip on some protective clothing, Slop on some sunscreen, Slap on a hat, Slide on a pair of sunglasses, Seek some shade and Sip on lots of water to stay hydrated.

For information about patrol times, weather, and beach locations visit theBeachsafe Website or Download the App.

New Residency Open For Australian Musicians And Composers Through Partnership With UKARIA Cultural Centre

20 February 2018

The Australia Council is calling for applications for an exciting residency offered for the first time as part of a partnership between the Australia Council and UKARIA Cultural Centre.

The successful applicants will have the opportunity to spend up to 10 days in residence at the prestigious UKARIA Centre, with exclusive access to facilities including a state-of-the-art recital centre, and adjacent accommodation in the picturesque Adelaide Hills.

The residency is open to artistic teams led by Australian musicians and composers seeking to develop new creative projects. Teams may be multi-disciplinary groups of up to 10 artists, but must be led by musicians and/or composers. Successful applicants will also be provided with cash support of up to $10,000 to assist with travel and per diems

UKARIA is ideally located in Mt Barker, and provides a unique regional setting, only 30 minutes from Adelaide, a designated UNESCO City of Music.

Australia Council CEO Tony Grybowski said; “UKARIA provides an ideal setting for groups of multidisciplinary artists to collaborate and develop new work. We’re delighted to partner with UKARIA to offer this residency, which is a fantastic example of how such partnerships can open up new possibilities and opportunities for Australian artists.”

Alison Beare, CEO of UKARIA said; “UKARIA aspires to play a role in shaping Australia’s national identity by being known as a place where new work is born and where artistic collaborations result in new ideas, new experiences and unexpected outcomes. We’re very pleased to be working with the Australia Council to support Australian artists realise their artistic ambitions.”